The 25 worst moves NFL teams made in 2022

It's already being called one of the worst trades in NFL history. Desperate to solve the quarterback issues they've had since the retirement of Peyton Manning, the Broncos shipped two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, Drew Lock, Noah Fant, and Shelby Harris to Seattle for Wilson. After signing Wilson to a five-year contract with $161 million guaranteed, he proceeded to flounder with career worsts in completion percentage, touchdowns, and QBR en route to a fourth-place finish in the AFC West. Fans can only hope a new coaching staff will turn things around.

The Browns were heavily criticized after not only trading for Watson following disturbing off-field allegations but giving him $230 million guaranteed. The package Cleveland sent to Houston included three first-round picks, a third-round pick, and two fourth-round picks. Watson was later suspended for 11 games of the 2022 season and has looked like a player who hadn't taken the field in two years upon his return. Watson and the Browns still have time to salvage this deal, but the early returns are very poor.

Hackett's hiring is clearly among the worst head coach hires ever. He failed to last one full season after coming over from Green Bay, leading a Broncos squad with high expectations to a 4-11 record as Russell Wilson fell off a cliff. The former offensive coordinator in Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Green Bay has some work to revive his coaching career.

Jackson was the biggest cornerback prize in free agency, signing a five-year, $82.5 million deal with the Chargers. LA has operated most of the season without Jackson, who suffered ankle and knee issues followed by an arrest in December. He has a lot of work to do to fix fans' memories of his first season under contract.

Washington traded for Wentz despite his struggles in Philadelphia and Indianapolis, taking on his contract and trading two third-round picks to Indy. The Commanders concluded the 2022 season the same way they did 2021, with Taylor Heinicke under center and questions about who will man that spot long term after Wentz went 2-5 as a starter and threw nine picks.

With the loss of Von Miller, Denver signed Gregory to a five-year, $70 million contract in the offseason. He's long struggled with injuries, and the edge rusher managed to play only six games in 2022. 

The Colts' musical chairs at quarterback continued, trading for Ryan after recent trials with Carson Wentz, Philip Rivers, and Jacoby Brissett since Andrew Luck's surprising retirement. The price of a third-round pick wasn't much, but Ryan appeared completely out of his element at age 37. It was another wasted year for the Colts, who would be well-advised to finally invest in a long-term answer at quarterback.

The Panthers moved a fifth-round pick for Mayfield after Cleveland moved on and acquired Deshaun Watson. Carolina thought they could salvage Mayfield, just as they did Sam Darnold last year. They were wrong on both accounts, and they will likely address the position in the draft with a new head coach. Mayfield went 1-5 in six starts and was eventually released and picked up by the injury-plagued Rams.

The losses of Odell Beckham and Robert Woods created a major need at wideout for the Rams, and they gave Robinson a hefty three-year, $46.5 million contract. After talking up Robinson's performance in training camp, the veteran showed his decline from 2021 in Chicago wasn't a fluke. He had only 33 catches for 339 yards in 10 games, failing to even take a step forward after Cooper Kupp was injured.

Josh McDaniels added former Patriot, Jones, on a three-year, $52.5 million contract, but the first season wasn't great for the 32-year-old. He recorded only 4.5 sacks in 15 games, and his season ended early with an elbow injury.

The Saturday hiring at midseason could be evidence we're all living in a simulation. Colts owner Jim Irsay shocked the world by firing Frank Reich at midseason and hiring the former center with only high school coaching experience on his resume. Predictably, Indianapolis struggled mightily since the hire, including one of the worst losses in league history at the hands of the Vikings, squandering a 33-point lead.

New Orleans doubled down on Winston after he suffered a knee injury in 2021, re-signing him to a two-year, $28 million contract. He threw five interceptions in the first three games and was replaced by Andy Dalton for good following an injury.

Inconsistent play and injuries have been a constant for Chubb since he was drafted in 2018, and that continued this season for the former Pro Bowler. Miami traded a first-round pick to Denver at the trade deadline for Chubb, but he recorded only 2.5 sacks in eight games with his new team. The trade will look better if Chubb bounces back next season, though the Dolphins look like the early losers in the deal.

A five-time Pro Bowler in Washington, Scherff earned a massive three-year, $49.5 million contract from the Jaguars in the offseason. Jacksonville gets an A for effort, but Scherff has struggled for most of this season after struggling to stay on the field in recent seasons with Washington.

The Chiefs' front office has opted to get younger at every turn since Brett Veach was promoted to GM in 2017. That pattern has mostly worked out, but moving on from Tyrann Mathieu in favor of Reid looks like a miss. The 25-year-old Reid's play has been inconsistent in the first year of a three-year deal worth $31.5 million, allowing a 66% completion rate and failing to record an interception.

The Jets were desperate after losing Mekhi Becton to injury for the year in the preseason. The result of that desperation was adding Brown on a two-year, $22 million contract at age 37. He's shown a clear decline this season despite making the Pro Bowl with Seattle in 2021.

Atlanta was apparently buying time in their rebuild when they signed Mariota to a one-year, $6.75 million contract to be their starter. It was a great fit reuniting with former Titans coordinator Arthur Smith, but Mariota came nowhere close to revitalizing his career at 5-8 as a starter with a 55.6 QBR and nine picks before sitting in the final stretch.

Cincinnati was desperate for offensive line help, and rightfully so, as they approached the offseason. Collins garnered a three-year, $21 million contract from the Bengals, but he struggled for most of the season at right tackle before suffering a torn ACL and MCL late in the year. The team remains on the hook to pay Collins, but the start of his 2023 season is in question.

The Chiefs remade their receiver room in the offseason, most notably adding JuJu Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling. Drops were a big issue for MVS in Green Bay, and that trend continued with his new team, with five drops and a poor 52% catch rate. He finished the first year of his three-year, $30 million contract catching only 42 passes for 687 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games.

Hicks was a centerpiece of the defense for much of his time in Chicago but hasn't rebounded well after missing much of last season due to injury. He signed a one-year deal worth up to $10 million with the Bucs but has failed to record a sack or rush the passer while struggling through more injury issues this season.

The failure of the Grant signing was more of a case of bad luck than anything, as Grant suffered a torn Achilles in the preseason after signing a three-year deal with the Browns. He's been a valuable returner and gadget player during his career, but the injury is notoriously difficult for speed players to return from.

No team had a busier offseason than the Dolphins, and they hit on most of their moves. Edmonds was an exception, as the former Cardinals running back was upstaged by Raheem Mostert early in the season and never quite fit in Mike McDaniels' scheme. He never saw double-digit carries after Week 1 and was traded to Denver at the deadline even though he signed a two-year, $12.6 million contract in the offseason.

After losing Rob Gronkowski, the Bucs turned to Jones to give Tom Brady another valuable weapon. The likely future Hall of Famer has shown a clear decline over the last two years, but showed flashes of his old self in Week 1. Unfortunately, nagging injuries returned, and Jones recorded his worst season yet after signing a one-year, $6 million deal.

Green Bay effectively placed a Band-Aid on a deep wound by signing Watkins to a one-year, $4 million contract after losing Davante Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown in the offseason. As we've become all too familiar, Watkins struggled to stay on the field due to injuries and recorded only 13 catches in nine games before getting released.

There's nothing wrong with adding depth, but re-signing Gordon for one more year was a head-scratcher for the Broncos, with young Javonte Williams looking to breakout in his second season. Gordon was called upon after Williams was injured, but his continued struggles with fumbles eventually led to his release.